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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

So something is happening with your eth0 interface: you have received 3348 bytes and transmitted 4729 bytes.

Quote:

laurence@laurence-desktop:~$ cat/etc/network/interfaces
bash: cat/etc/network/interfaces: No such file or directory

You need a space between cat and /etc/network/interfaces. cat is the command to type the file to the terminal, and /etc/network/interfaces is the file I'd like to see listed.
While you are at it, please also cat /etc/resolv.conf
-*-

Quote:

It wants to download a driver, which at present, it can,t

This is odd. ubuntu should handle memory sticks without a "driver". What makes you think it "wants to download a driver"?

-A, --show-all equivalent to -vET
-b, --number-nonblank number nonblank output lines
-e equivalent to -vE
-E, --show-ends display $ at end of each line
-n, --number number all output lines
-s, --squeeze-blank never more than one single blank line
-t equivalent to -vT
-T, --show-tabs display TAB characters as ^I
-u (ignored)
-v, --show-nonprinting use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB
--help display this help and exit
--version output version information and exit

Trying for about the last hour. -- Keep getting bad command messages. --- Logged in as administrator first; doesn't help.It keeps giving me bad command messages. I just came back here to see if it poss. to do a copy and paste.

Logging on as root might be a prob. - I can find nowhere to do it but to go to administration; i've forgotten the name, but it asks for my password, then I open terminal. Seems logical, but doesn't work. Maybe I will try again & post result.?

What "bad command messages" ? I'm not telepathic!
What do you mean you are logging in "as administrator"? There's no such thing as "administrator" in linux, there is "root" though. You can temporarily "become root" by prefixing your command with sudo (in a terminal). Just log in as yourself (the first user you defined). Then, if you wish to run a graphical application from a terminal (like an editor perhaps) as root in gnome (your window manager?) prefix it thus gtksu name-of-editor, and if you are using KDE (which I prefer) prefix it thus kdesu name-of-editor The editor will start, but with full priviledges, after you have given your password.

Maybe you need to do some very basic homework before we can progress at full speed.
Have you read (even briefly) a simple linux guide?
Try here http://www.linuxhotbox.com/adminguide/index.html or google for other introductions to linux. Read them. Remember that windows was not intuitive the first time you tried it.
Use the [Search] on this forum (there's a button if you look for it) - it will also lead you to much useful information. And/or read the "similar threads" links at the bottom of this page.

Quote:

in my message #20 it says search domain invalid. What is this message?

It is not a message, it is an instruction in a configuration file. It doesn't matter at the moment: You can safely ingnore it until your network setup is much more complicated than it is.

So, edit (it would be helpful to me if you told me which editor you are attempting to use to edit these configuration files) your /etc/network/interfaces file as suggested, then reboot.

Don't know if last message went. Ubuntu seems to use GEDIT as a text editor. The terminal is simply labelled as such. Ubuntu works under Gnome.
When I attempt to edit the files, it insists on going to the end. If I try & enter a line at a time, it keeps coming up with bad command.--- A few nights & maybe 20 hours in, I am ready to give it away as a bad joke, and yes, I googled the topic, which is where I got the sudo su command from, but it is all a long way from user friendly.
laurence@laurence-desktop:~$ sudo su
root@laurence-desktop:/home/laurence# cat etc/network/interfaces
cat: etc/network/interfaces: No such file or directory
root@laurence-desktop:/home/laurence# cat /etc/network/interfaces
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

Linux "Hotbox" seems dated & seems to predate Ubuntu. I have bookmarked it however & will do a bit more reading as anything Debian based, could relate to Ubuntu.
It seems Ubuntu, by default, does not open in root, but "administrator" mode, which allows for a lot of things, but not altering root files. I have set up a root username & password via the GUI, but it does't want to work. - Maybe a reboot is required.

Last edited by viking1au; 09-10-2007 at 09:07 AM.
Reason: small spell mistake

I can see what you are trying to do, and understand your frustration. Don't get angry - get even! We'll get there yet.
I do not use gnome (hate it) - I use KDE, which doesn't have gedit so I am going to ask that you make a big leap of faith and use ..... vi as your editor. vi has an undeserved reputation as being "difficult" to use, but it is also very powerful and seems to be installed on every *nix system, so it is a real lifesaver.
You only need to learn three single-letter commands to be able to use it at its most basic level ("vi for noobs").

Here we go:
Become root and start vi. Do not forget the leading / at the start of /etc/network/interfaces:

Now press the letter i on your keyboard. This will put you in insert mode, so you can enter and delete text. Try typing some text. Now delete that text by using the Backspace or Delete keys. Easy, No? Now also delete the five lines in the "Code" box above. Only delete them and nothing else. Don't forget that you can navigate with the arrow keys on your keyboard.
Now use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll up to the bit that says

Code:

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet dhcp

Change it so it reads like this:

Code:

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

Now we need to save the changes. Press the Escape key on your keyboard.
Then enter :wq. That means you type a : then a w then a q
Then press Return, and vi will save the changes and exit. You are back at the command line.
Explanation: Pressing Escape takes you out of "Insert mode", the colon means "Here comes a command" the w means "write the changes I have made back to the file on disk" the q means "Quit" and pressing Return makes it all happen.

If you make a big mistake, you can quit vi without saving changes by pressing Escape :q!
Meaning "Exit insert mode", "Here comes a command" "Quit" "I know I haven't saved the changes, just do as you're told & QUIT!"

Good. Now the interfaces file is correct.
Do NOT mess with any GUI network managers - they are likely to make (unwanted) changes to the interfaces file we just edited.
Plug in your ethernet cable and issue the following commands:

Code:

sudo ifdown eth0
sudo ifup eth0

Meaning: Become root and bring down the (badly) configured eth0 interface, then
become root and bring up the (now, correctly configured) eth0 interface.

Now try your browser. All OK? It should be.
The ethernet will be brought up automatically next time you boot. (that's the meaning of the "auto eth0" in that interfaces file)

Last edited by tredegar; 09-10-2007 at 12:54 PM.
Reason: Five lines of code need deleting